The Editor

In this interview with ARR.News, Churchill Fellow Kelly Lees shares insights from her experience with the intitial attempt to eradicate Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite of honeybees, and a little of her passion and vision for their successful management in Australia by our beekeepers who, as described by Kelly, are hard working, resilient and resourceful.

Churchill Fellow Dean Gilligan discusses with ARR.News the conservation of Edgbaston Springs in the Great Artesian Basin, key threats to springs ecosystems, such as invasive pest fish, and how he hopes his research in Ash Meadows in the USA and Cuarto Cienegas in Mexico will inform the management of Australia's endangered springs ecosystems.

Research conducted by Insurance provider, Youi, shows that only one in two Australians surveyed were concerned about bushfire risk, with one in four acknowledging that they are unprepared. Youi has launched a Bushfire Preparedness Hub with a wide range of tools and information to help going into bushfire season. ARR.News learnt more from Jim Smith, volunteer firefighter and former Deputy Commissioner for Fire and Rescue NSW.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) (Queensland Section) is this month celebrating 60-years of service from its Mount Isa base. Established in 1964, the Mount Isa Base covers a waiting room of more than 800,000 square kilometres, connecting the residents of this significant north-west Queensland region to leading, and often lifesaving, health services ... ARR.News found out more from RFDS Mount Isa Base Support Manager, Ducky Jeacocke.

Number 8 Bio has successfully raised $7 million in its seed round, marking a significant milestone in its mission to dramatically reduce methane emissions in the livestock sector. ARR.News asked some questions of Dr Tom Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of Number 8 about 90 per cent reductions in stock emissions and, goodness, even carbon negative cattle.

ARR.News was approached by PETA with "a gripping and timely opinion piece from an undercover investigator who has firsthand experience of the live export industry..." The full, frank and fearless debate on this highly contentious issue continues here on ARR.News with further responses from both PETA and Trevor Whittington, CEO WAFarmers.

In view of the Australian Koala Foundation's march in Canberra planned for 1 September 2024, and its advocacy for a federal "Koala Protection Act", Australian Rural & Regional News felt it timely to ask some questions on koala matters and maybe even start up a useful, and very probably robust discussion ... ARR.News approached Dr Brad Law, Vic Jurskis and then Deborah Tabart OAM and the AKF for their response to questions ...

Booming investments into biofuels, set out in government’s  ‘Future Made in Australia’ plan, presents a huge opportunity for Australia’s regional agricultural producers and farmers, according to Airbus. Airbus Chief Representative for Australia and the Pacific, Stephen Forshaw, recently warned that a “Future Made in Singapore”, not Australia, could be a reality if local industry does not embrace these opportunities now to tap into domestic gains. Australian Rural & Regional News interviewed Stephen and learnt a good more about just what's involved and the prospects for Australia and Australian farmers.

BeeHero's updated sensing solution, already in use worldwide, enables first-of-its-kind, high resolution heat mapping of bee activity, and features improved sensing and pollinator monitoring capabilities that enable predictive models for pollination success. ARR.News found out more about PIP 2.0 from Yuval Regev, Co-founder and CTO of BeeHero.

"Every project a surveyor is supposed to work on will be delayed if they are unable to upgrade in time.   Notably that would be infrastructure such as bridges, roads and rail.   But also housing developments in regional and rural areas.   If the 4 and 5G coverage doesn’t take in all the areas formerly covered by 3G then there will be new blackspots.": Michelle Blicavs, CEO Surveyors Australia.